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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26514736">Hullo Cruel World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alaxamber/pseuds/Alaxamber'>Alaxamber</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abandonment, Angst, Banishment, Betaed, Boxman is a suprisingly good writer, Established Relationship, Flashbacks, M/M, Post-Canon, Slow Burn, There is a happy light at the end of my pen, has some song lyrics, not a songfic, trying to get home</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:34:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,040</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26514736</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alaxamber/pseuds/Alaxamber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>MAJOR END SPOILERS</p><p>He deserved this, he deserved to be here, with no one but a blaster. But Fink, she did not. She did not do anything for her life to end here. He was going to get her home, as long as they can get home. </p><p>A tale of a boss getting his minon home. </p><p>(Not as angsty as it sounds, ok it might be)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lord Boxman/Professor Venomous (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Banished.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi everyone. I promise there is a happy end, I am looking at 3 to 4 chapters.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night sky held numerous stars, which seemed to be a multitude more than what had shown back at home; he suspected it was due to the lack of light pollution. The stars sparkled in such a way that if he blinked slowly, he could just faintly see an outline… eyes that never seemed to look the same way, one always intent on him, while his dark human eye moved back and forth with the animation of his movements. It took him a few moments before he rapidly blinked, he blamed the tears welling in the corners of his eyes on dry air. Tonight, marked a full month on this deserted planet.</p><p>It took two weeks of smashing through every building, toppling towers, both of them running on pure adrenaline. Both so happy to have each other and to be able to just dominate. To realize something was wrong. By the end of that week, they found that the landscape was not reforming…nothing was growing. There was no food, no health potions, or even first aid kits. The buildings seemed to have been wiped clean. There was nothing but the clothes on their backs, and the never-ending blasters on their arms, and rocket boots. How did anyone expect them to survive on this planet? Dark thoughts came with that; they had been banished. Left them here to die. Him, sure he more than deserved to shrivel up and die; but Fink? No, she had done nothing to deserve this.  </p><p>Near the end of the third week, they had both realized hunger had begun to truly set it in; and it became more than just a gnawing in their stomachs, they could see they had lost weight. Both would have been dead if Fink had not been able to find water, and at least with a bit of water a snake and a hyper-bio-engineered rat adjacent pair could hold out without food. </p><p>The sound of the box from the sky on the last day of the fourth week had startled them out of a hunger-induced sleep. Curled tight around each other to keep warm, both of them jolted upwards, in sudden attention. A rattle came from him as she squeaked with loud enthusiasm, words had lost meaning to them a while back and took energy neither had to give. </p><p>Their natures, of predator and prey, would have had them at odds, did have them at odds for the last half of the second week. That was, until he broke his knee halfway through the third week. Another thing they found out was what good healing abilities they had back home; unfortunately what would have normally healed in a few days, now healed in six. </p><p>Now nearly at the end of their fourth week, he was finally able to bear weight again and did not depend entirely on Fink to bring him water. They had bonded even more than he thought was possible, and he knew he would get her off of this planet and give her a Cob-fucking life again. </p><p>They both ran to the nearest cliff, seeing the sky turn purple. He didn't care that his knee burned and tried to give out as they stood by the edge, he leaned and let Fink scamper onto his back.  Could it be? Could Boxman have finally come for him?</p><p> His heart had never raced so hard as he blasted into the air with Fink clinging onto his back, racing toward the purple clouds. </p><p>With their teeth clenched as the blasters grew hot on his heels, they tried not to both cry as they only saw a box fly from the sky, no one and nothing other than that came from the Warp hole.</p><p> Inside the box was food, ration portions of what seemed to be 199X Astronauts; new clothes, both shocked that their bodies used to be the size that was sent; new weapons, a large Laser Hammer, and another wrist mounted Laser Gun, this one in purple. But that was it, no letter, no note, no nothing is hidden in any of the small compartments on the weapons of slipping into a pocket.</p><p>They pulled everything free from the box and set aside each item, stacking them carefully. Then they broke down the box nail by nail, and board by board checking every inch of if. Hope still clawed at Venomous' chest as they inspected every centimeter of the box. On the front had been the BM LOGO, the boards thick wood, almost a crate not a box. This was good, sturdy wood unlike the cheap cardboard Boxmore used while attacking the plaza, and they could use the metal screws to build. </p><p>One screw he did not set aside, one screw he kept in his hand as they both ate a small dinner. While Fink complained she was still hungry and wanted more he chided her, reminding her that if they ate their fill they would be sick, and who knew when the next box was coming. </p><p>That night they had also succeeded in finding a radio antenna or at least something very close to it. It barely stuck from the ground, a metal ball that hummed if you put your ear next to it. </p><p>With a few scraps of wood he had been able to build their first fire, and he had even been able to make her a small bed from his older clothes, using his both lab coats to make a hammock for himself. </p><p>He came back from his thoughts as he blinked, hissing in soft pain as his eyes felt like they were full of sand. He took in the broken wall, the silhouette of broken buildings as pits they had blasted into the earth. It looked as though this planet had gone quite the way that the Neutral zone almost had when he and, no when Shadowy Venomous and TKO had… he shook his head, not wanting to think of him, or what happened to him for those months where he had been locked away. He shivered as he tried to take a breath, trying to rid himself of the feeling of Shadowy having complete control over him. </p><p>He jolted upward, his hands grasping at his throat as the feeling of thick black goo in the back of his throat caused him to gag loudly. He gasped for breath as his body felt as it had when…that stuff came out of him during that last showdown. Before he had been transported to another planet without a chance to talk to anyone, without the chance to explain himself. He had no idea what Shadowy Venomous had told them, it hurt to think he never would. </p><p>His stomach turned painfully as it tried to adjust to the sudden movement and the food it was slowly digesting. He lurched forward trying to not puke out that small bit of food he had been able to keep down. He breathed slowly before laying back down, anger settled now in his stomach as he looked over at his small minion laying next to the warm fire, his old clothes twisted in a near nest around her smaller frame. </p><p>He was an adult, he had a chance to grow up and live his life, she on the other hand. There were only so many times you could tell a minion to destroy a building before they become bored; hell, before anyone becomes bored. Any sense of their old life and the pattern he had tried to instill in her were in shambles now.</p><p>He turned his back to the fire, pressing his face into a bent arm cushioning his head. He looked off, the dark seemed to creep in closer as he blocked some of the light to the broken, half wall. If this was like the Neutral Zone, he would have found somewhere with full protection for the night, but there were no animals on this planet, not even plants. Nothing would come from the shadows to hunt, hurt or, even help them. </p><p>The metal orb was new, or at least they had never spotted it on their other flyovers. With a small adjustment to his new gun, pulling parts from the old one, they had found that the orb was attached to a rod and something else lay below, but they had been unable to search further; the box and food had been a shock to both of their worn and tired bodies. He closed his eyes as he felt a slight headache come on. He had a list in his mind’s eye about what he needed to do to get home; what items they would need, how to find the correct direction. That was possible by the next box, and they needed to be ready.  </p><p>He looked over his shoulder again, checking the sound of the wood popping between them. It was odd to have another sound, and it was almost disconcerting that it was the fire and not his minion waking up from another nightmare. She had been having so many after he injured his knee, more so that now he walked with a significant limp. </p><p> Early on she would make a face and say she didn’t miss anyone and only needed her boss. He knew better, she missed the bots. Some nights she would whimper and reach out a small hand, and if he strained he could hear her whimper a name. It always caused his heart to beat painfully to hear her mutter ‘Shannon’. </p><p>She used to whimper his name, he used to be her sense of home and safety. Back then, if she were to wake up in the middle of the night to crawl into his bed he didn't mind. Even when he had been sharing his bed… Boxy never complained once about the small rodent climbing into their bed and clinging to his side… </p><p>He cut off that line of thought and turned his head away pressing the palms of his hands to his eyes, only admitting to the pain slowly building behind his eyes, not to the dampness that threatened to leak from the corners. He would not cry again, he couldn’t wake up Fink, she needed her rest.  </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p>As Venomous and Fink walked to the factory, he made sure to beep his car twice in quick succession, the soft beep seemed loud in the empty lot. Even with them being the only two out and about it was better to be protected. You never knew if other villains might appear to sabotage or simply steal an unlocked car, or a hero climbing in and waiting for Venomous to show them his secret base. </p><p>The cold silent night air caused a small shiver to run up his spine, something else was happening but he was not quite sure what yet. The Plaza across the cement parking lot was empty, and even this late in the evening he could recall Lord Boxman complaining about the group across the street, ever sidetracked in nearly every phone conversation. He had a good feeling that Boxman was just the type to double book a night like tonight. </p><p>Fink sneezed as she stiffed the air before she rang the bell. Nearly nothing caused her too, but the scent of burning and oil could make anyone's nose itch. The door was flung open a few moments later, Fink had just been raising her hand to ring again, and looked thoroughly disappointed when I shook my head at her unasked question. No need to have her ring once the door was open, if she had asked earlier he may have let her buzz a few more times, just to see how Boxman would react.</p><p> Seeing Boxman dressed in a… well, he was glad he wore one of his better sweaters under his lab coat. While he hadn’t expected the short man to be dressed in one of his worn lab coats, he was not expecting him to be in a tux. </p><p> Venomous even allowed the shorter man to hug him around the middle, something he normally would have avoided anyone trying.  This blatant show of affection had shocked him after their first business meeting, the hug had come out of nowhere after he placed his first order, 10 mega Junkfish. While he had disliked it, his reaction to the plush male hugging him was not to involuntarily jerk away, like when others tried to get close to him. No, there was a subtle clench in his stomach and a sudden acceptance of warmth, however the anxiety to get away and not let someone get close still ebbed at the back of his mind.</p><p>Yet, that did not keep the disdain from his face, in the middle of a factory hallway he had no idea if someone else was around or watching. His stance stayed ready to retreat if needed; one can never be too careful. </p><p>There was something to be thankful for, after just the briefest of moments of Boxman's tight and surprisingly muscular arms around his waist, a simple “please stop” and the shorter male instantly opened his arms and moved away. No-fuss, no pawing, Boxman was always the gentleman. </p><p>With practiced grace, Venomous pulled off his jacket and felt a small smile pull at his lips. He knew Boxman would try to take it, he did so the last time they met in his office, but Fink was in a new area. She would no doubt not trust anyone with anything of his and he let the smirk overtake his lips when she jumped to kick Boxman away from her boss.  </p><p>The sound of other voices deeper into Boxmore drew both of their attention, and with surprising speed, their host had grabbed what looked to be an apron and ran deeper into the factory. Professor looked in the hole left by the retreating man and listened for a moment before he noticed the smell of a very burnt dinner from down another hall. He turned and straightened before he looked down at Fink, 'eat everything and you’ll get a new videos game."</p><p>Loud footsteps drew his attention away from his minute minion as a Shannon bot ran into the room and began to dance and sing. Venomous was momentarily confused, believing all of the bots that came from Boxmore had no personalities, but this Shannon bot was singing a rather...interesting song. This was something none of his had ever done, and certainly nothing Boxman had ever said they were capable of. </p><p>Boxman rushed back into the room and cut her off before she finished her song, but now Fink had a smirk on her lips as she began humming the tune. A quick look down at her as Boxman led them into the dining room, caused her to pout and stop humming. If he let it continue now, she would start singing it before he knew it.</p><p>Venomous stared down at the incinerated ham on the plate before him, prodding it with his fork. He gave a bemused glance at the clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable Boxman at the end of the table, who began some sort of apology speech. The little man wanted to make sure he kept his deal, at least kept his techno's coming. </p><p>And then there was Darrel. This was the series of bot he had ordered yet never received due to “back-order issues' '. Venomous was a bit weary of the idea of a bio brain in a bot, and if this red bot next to him was any indication, his weariness may have been spot on. If the rest of the series were like this one, he may have to cancel his order and get a refund before he terminates this business relationship. Doing his best to ignore the gangling red bot next to him as well as Boxman’s subsequent barking of orders to vacate the room, he continued to prod at the charcoal on his plate.</p><p>“Who are these people?” Venomous had asked the moment before the shortest pushed all of the food of the table and onto the floor. “They uh..they’re the caterers!” This was the lie Boxman gave him. It sent a pang of disappointment through Venomous. </p><p>Was this really Lord Boxman; a level -10 Villain in person? Where was the excited voice that spoke about schematics over the phone last week? Hell, that was the only reason he had not canceled the Darrel order then over the phone. The way he talked now though, so unsure and seemingly unable to get a word in with the caterers. The sharp fangs he had seen earlier now seemed dull. He also did not seem like the type to build by hand, something else he had bragged about in their phone calls. How could this small man wield a hammer with the skill he bragged about having? </p><p>Not Cooking? Had he not promised a delicious meal? He looked down at the burnt food then and then to Fink. It was sad. In the small remains of the ham and the bit of lettuce from the salad bowl he nibbled on, he found the taste was not that uncobbly. (unholy, but corn pun based)</p><p>He looked with disappointment from Boxman to Fink and frowned that she would not be able to eat the ham. That seemed like it would have been fine, if he had not somehow captured the Plaza Team. It was funny, if Venomous were a gambling man, his money would be that due to his own impending arrival, Boxman had gained that bit of a charismatic spark to capture the team. Or he had just gotten extremely lucky. As he thought about it, while the group of caterers pranced around the table, his vote was shifting to lucky.</p><p>A plate of watery spaghetti was placed in front of him, the thin sauce pooling at the bottom of very dry looking noodles. “Bland” he thought as the blue one began applying a liberal amount of pepper to his plate. The tension in the room was increasing, especially when all the pepper caused him to sneeze. He hated sneezing, so very much so.</p><p>The group of chefs appeared at the doors with some cheesy line about pies, and relief overcame him. He could get out of here soon, and perhaps just end the deal over the phone? That seemed like the best idea, but then he saw the mustache fall off of the short caterer. KO, Enid, and Rad, Boxman's local hero group that would not let him harvest the Glorbs under the Boxmore Facility in peace. </p><p>This was why Boxman was acting like this, he had double booked them, as Venomous had suspected earlier. They skidded off to the left and suddenly started throwing the pies, a nearly obscene amount of them. He gagged at the scent now in the air, coconut, he ducked under the table leaving Fink to take the pie that was aimed at him, she would be fine, he would be unable to smell anything for the next week if he was hit with the pie. </p><p>He crawled out from below the table at the other end, his minion skidded to a stop above him, still standing on the table. He looked up from all fours, his black brows furrowed. What in the ever-loving Cob was going on?! </p><p>Of course, the Shannon and Darrel bots burst into the room again, both of them shouting odd lines that no other bot seemed to be programmed to say. Boxman appeared annoyed at their shouting, the vein in his temple throbbed. If this annoyed him, why didn’t he bother to reprogram them? Venomous wondered for a moment, was it possible Boxman had built his own true AI and given this bots some form of freewill?</p><p>With a bit of awe in his face, he crawled his way out from under the table and watched Boxman's demeanor completely change. The stout moved with what looked like practiced ease as he pulled parts from both the Darrel and Shannon bots. Even with the pies still sailing through the air past him, Boxman had managed to produce a huge, Cobsdammed pie cannon.</p><p>There it was, Lord Cob-ing Boxman stood behind his sudden and makeshift cannon, a view he wouldn’t soon forget. The power that seemed to roll off of him was the same Venomous had heard more than once and listened with nearly rapt attention as the other male spoke of his ideas to get rid of the team. Now seeing him shirtless and with a massive change in both appearance and charisma caused a sizzle of shock to arc down his back and raise his brows…. Well, this was something he hadn’t felt in a long time… </p><p>He could see each part of the squat man… his muscles that rippled below his slight bit of soft malleable flesh… the kind that would be warm and soft to lay against…. </p><p>In the heat of the moment he just sat and watched as Boxman shot a volley of pies back at the Plaza team with the weapon that he built with his bare hands from two sets of bots. This was the kind of adaptability he wanted to help protect his lab. His gaze had also found something else he needed in his lab; he could see every muscle straining as Boxman unloaded the cannon with precision and great aim at the three Heros. </p><p>While he enjoyed himself greatly, he had a feeling that the smaller man would over do it if Venomous did not interrupt the barrage. </p><p>So, he tried a quick demand to the Villain nearly -3 levels above himself. A jolt seemed to run through Boxman as his attention was pulled back to the room of people.</p><p>Then of course, Boxman started rambling, something he did not need to do. Venomous was already on board, and he could not help the smirk that perked up at the corner of his lip as he enjoyed the feel of his finger on the lips of Boxman… soft but only for a moment.</p><p> Sweat was still fresh on his torso, his tongue ached to run across the wet collarbone, leaving a bite on the slight arch near the hollow of his throat. He swallowed and turned looking at the cannon he had been leaning against, his hand slipped from the back of his neck to look down the barrel and over at the heroes piled in the thick, coconut scented goop that the pies seemed to be filled with. </p><p> Boxman nodded with enthusiasm when Venomous asked to fire the gun. With a note of excitement filled the lilac skinned male as he noticed that the gun was not at full power, this was how you kept your customers. He wondered if Boxman was just lucky. The fact that if he had not failed so spectacularly with this group of heroes, Boxman would have lost one of his best customers.  </p><p>This was what Venomous liked to see with the vendors he dealt with, with the men he dealt with. He liked to see that they were thinking of the customer's needs.  Was he a quick thinker or just very lucky? </p><p>Boxman was also the kind of villain Venomous enjoyed being around. He liked the kind that wanted to destroy Heros, over just interacting with guests. A villain that would create his own weapons from what he had around him to destroy Heros. He was not the villain that would rather play pedantic games of class and peacocking; no he wanted to get those heroes. </p><p>Venomous then shot the gun, and Cob yes, it was every bit as glorious as Boxman had made it look. The recoil was non-existent, the trigger pressure felt like he only needed to press into a soft down pillow. Every millimeter of the handle in his hands fit his palms and felt like his favorite pair of gloves. Even the barrel was not as hot after firing so many times, so thankfully Fink was able to intact one of her favorite moves from one of her Videos games. She deserved it, she could have much worse behaved. </p><p>Then came another hug… one Venomous opened his arms for. He felt the soft plush of the other male's body pressed against him, the heat and bit of sweat seeping through his slacks and turtleneck. It took him a moment to swallow and pat Boxman's back relaxing into the small show of affection. He tried to not scent the air, the thick and cloyingly sick scent of coconuts was still heavy on the air. </p><p>~</p><p>That was how he woke up, curled in a tight ball, shivering from the bite of the cold night air, fire out and no extra clothing for a blanket. The faint warmth that Boxman had left over his lower stomach in the dream too quickly disappeared, it pulled him back into this world…into this reality. He was not just meeting to break off a business relationship… he was not still on earth with everything ahead of him. His hand clenched around the screw he had from the crate. It was the only screw with VM carved into it. </p><p>No, he was on some distant planet, sent here by some inane wish, that clearly wanted him out of the picture. Perhaps the president of the Universe had twisted the wish, only for him like every good wish. He hissed lowly curling in on himself tighter. While his headache was gone, there was an ache in his chest that pulsed every time he felt his heart try to beat. Tears threatened at the corners of his eyes again. </p><p>He would find his way home. He would find his way to get revenge on the Plaza losers for sending him here, he needed to talk to Boxman, he needed to talk to the President…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright guys. So i know Boxman had never shown alot of Angst on the show. so yeah this is gana feel a bit OOC. Just saying. I am also ganna say I have a ton of respect for this singer, and his past experiences for this song and what went into both writing and singing it. </p><p>In no way is my using this trying to take away from his views or his feelings on why he personally wrote this. There is a ton of emotion in this song, and the lyrics I chosen to use fit into this one. Please everyone, follow the Youtube link below to listen to his albums and show him some love. </p><p>Thank you Aurelio Voltaire &lt;3 </p><p>https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLairofVoltaire/videos</p><p>This is the song </p><p>https://youtu.be/MsD0jXSk0l4</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He awoke to the sound of scratching. A small hand on his wrist alerted him that Fink stood by the makeshift hammock. He cracked a blurry eye and looked over at her, a smile unconsciously curling one side of his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Boss, can we eat?" She stood on her tiptoes, her hands still clutching his arm as she tried not to put enough weight to topple them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His stomach chose that time to gurgle and his smile pulled a bit wider, his fist still clenched around the screw he held throughout the night, "Yeah Fink, go and grab two. I think we can see how we feel thou-" he cracked his eyes that had closed as he spoke, looking out from under the crook of his arm that had shielding them from the rising sun. She had already scampered to the food and was back before he had time to start again. He smiled and sat up carefully, holding his knee as he balanced one leg on either side. Without warning the young rat crawled up and between his legs her back pressed to his abdomen she held up one pack for him and slowly opened her own, careful to not spill anything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They ate in relative silence, both savoring the odd chalky food, neither caring that the package said to add water, they didn't have enough to waste it on hydrating food. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped himself from opening the small tin that was in the far back of the package. Patiently he waited until Fink had torn hers open and carefully picked out every tangerine slice, delicately sipped the juice, and handed her his as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But boss… you need fruit too." She said in her small scruffy voice. She pressed the tin back but with a laugh, he gave her a one-armed hug. His face pressed into her hair, "Boss?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am going to get you home Fink." He said, but with how his face was still buried in her thick green hair she more felt him say it. His low voice reverberated through his chest and into her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Boss-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please Fink. Don't fight me on this… " his voice was suddenly soft, and she could tell he was in near pain. "I deserve to be here, I deserved to starve… to work myself into a state of exhaustion that would have killed me." He took a breath and she could swear she felt wet soaking through her many snarls. "But they brought you into this too… you didn't. You don't deserve this…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I- I don't deserve to be here with you? " her voice was small and it shot a jolt of pain through his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, Fink. You are my one and only, my best minion," He said with pride in his voice as his one arm hugged her a bit firmer, more tears leaked from his eyes. "You deserve to be back home, learning how to be a great minion, or learning what else you want…. Not stuck here." The hand with the tin made a wide vague gesture out to the broken and rather non-descriptive landscape. "Your life… had," he cleared his throat. He stopped for a moment, then lifted his head, that free arm moving to wipe away his tear tracks. "Fink I want you to be able to grow up, and not become a monster."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was as simple as that. And he felt a bit too discouraging that if they stayed here for any longer than necessary, she would have even less of an idea of what that difference meant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"OK boss." She turned looking up at him… at her… father figure. Her voice was warm and bright in that way only a kid can so honestly portray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now let's try and find what is underground."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day after they found the way into the room. They had focused their blasts around the orb and exposed a hatch-like door. Breaking in had been easy, it seemed like whoever had built this had expected the meters of stone and what seemed to be concrete to keep them out of what looked to be a computer room for a radio tower. There was enough raw robotic materials here that they could make something to get them home, or at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>call </span>
  </em>
  <span>home. While he had little knowledge to go on, the grin that came over Fink's face when she scampered looking at the old knobs and buttons filled him with an emotion he would not have let himself feel before, hope. The screen looked to be from 194X but as Boxman had shown, any tech can be useful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a low hum of machinery and both of them breathed slowly to enjoy it.  They finally had a sound that was not coming from either of them. They ate their lunch there, even sat for longer until the sound of the slow whirl and their full stomachs lulled them into sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking into the factory this second time, he could not help but let a small smile settle on his lips. His walk was quick, this stop was meant to be a short detour to the factory; and it just happened to be a bonus that it was between his home and Billiam's. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They could have driven past. They did not have to stop, he could have asked for another conference call. Venomous had hoped the short male would invite himself… he could even play the pity card at the dinner, and reap the sweet Exp for running the whole night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did he want to dangle the whole thing in front of Boxman, in hopes of him wanting to tag along? He chuckled as Fink took his phone saying she would keep an eye on the messages, knowing she also wanted a bit of time with his match 3 game. She hated how high his score had gotten and vowed to use as many of his lives as she could so she could catch up. There was a bit of hope that Cosma or Billiam might text him and the conversation would be brought up a little more naturally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Boxman was truly brilliant. Everything in this room was well kept, clean, and nearly in his own Lab Color scheme. He found a smile hard to keep off his lips as he asked a few questions then had to stop the grin as Fink began to read off the text he had been hoping would come. The instant interest and sudden excitement that bristled over the shorter male caused a spike of enjoyment to run over his own spine. He knew he had caught Boxman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous was half worried Box would go naked if he continued to tear off more clothing. For just a brief moment his mind had been thrown back to when Boxman was only wearing his pants and suspenders, his surprising amount of muscle bulging just under his soft puff. Ven found he did not mind the muscle shirt and high waisted pants combo. The latter of which looked like it was cling wrapped to his surprisingly firm looking butt. He tried his best not to the stare as the short male begged to come along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought his quip about how the shorter male is more of a... builder- or petty villain than a supervillain, was quite good and would have to remember it again. Of course, he had to keep talking, no time for Boxman to catch the shortening of his name. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The plan had also gained a lot more appeal at the idea of ruining everyone else’s night. It was easy to say yes to Fink staying with the Bots, if she destroyed them, more would come. Though he had to hem and haw to keep up appearances. Finally, he would get a night out and he knew these bots were going to be as loyal to the job of watching his minion as the would attacking the Plaza every day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cob, the amount of embarrassment everyone felt when they saw Boxman coming up the ramp was nearly palpable. But it sent a shiver of excitement up Venomous' spine. While he was about to be the butt of many jokes, far too many people here depended on his donations, his bids in their businesses to simply keep a once high Villain Organization afloat. Billiam liked to spend where he lived to invest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Boxman's jump on the table was exciting to watch, even more so as he began to eat. While Venomous himself had never been attracted to eating or feeding, he very much enjoyed the small sounds the round male made while he enjoyed the food. At one point when he arched his back to drink straight from the punchbowl, Venomous could feel himself grow light-headed. He had to lean on the railing and blink once or twice, trying to calm his racing heart and to try and imprint the clear outline of a small tail wiggling under those sinfully tight pants. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once he got himself under control he slipped quickly to the bar, Ordering his 2nd drink of the night. Boxman had brought something along in the car with them. Proving yet again to be that chaotic villain, but purely for the fun, and not that bit of darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While he would never drive drunk, his face split into a smirk and allowed Boxy to open one and get a head start, or "pre-game" as he had called it. What Venomous had not thought about their apparent difference in ambient temperature, more so the fact that Boxman had begun to sweat. Venomous on the other hand had a slight shiver of cold from not having his heat blasting. Under different circumstances, he would just unroll the window for Boxy, but he was driving too fast and he would have really hated to mess up his hair before they got there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, Venomous tried his best not to scent the air, not inhale the suddenly very intoxicating scent of Boxman's charcoal tinged musk. He failed by boxman's third drink from the bottle; his attention was caught by the green glass, and as he looked through the corner of his eye he could see droplets of both sweat and cider on the shorter man's upper lip. Boxman then talked so adamantly for the next few minutes he did not notice the droplets clinging to the small area.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous' tongue flicked out unconsciously and his eyes were drawn to the liquids mixing, his body tense as he forced himself not to turn in his spot. His knuckles turned a soft pale lilac against the gray wheel. Before he could stop himself, he had reached over and with the back of his finger swiped the mixture away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous had no idea if Boxman had tried to say anything else, he was hyper-focused on the back of his hand as it rested against the wheel once again, the blush rushing to his cheeks seemed to pound in his brain. He swallowed thickly and could not stop his tongue from flicking out again. He wanted that in his mouth, he could feel saliva pooling below his tongue, and the press of a suddenly much more apparent hardness in his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His breath shuttered as he tried to focus on the last bit of the road; the blood rushing in his ears and the inability to stop himself from inhaling slowly to savor the scents through his nose, scents that crept back and down his throat. And he would never admit, but also with a few sneaky flicks of his tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another pulse of blood behind his ears caused by his eyes looking down at the nearly dried drips of honey-colored liquid on his knuckle...caused him to nearly miss the turn into the parking lot. Finally, they screeched into a spot and Venomous threw open his door and pulled himself from the car, making a show of pulling out his phone, but really shoving the entire finger into his mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous' cheeks were a darker purple as he heard the excess spit dribble onto the ground, he did not dare suck it back up, that would have been louder. His tongue wrapped and twisted  around the digit he had swirling in his mouth. Sucking free the bit of cider and the second taste that had to be Boxman, his enhanced sense of smell, affected his taste as well, he could nearly taste Boxman's scent he had been enjoying in the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made a sound and waved off Boxman as he turned away not yet wanting to pull the most exquisite tasting thing he had had in his mouth in a long time. 'Slammed my finger' he muttered around the digit. A laugh could be heard from the shorter man as he came up and around the other side, offering an unopened bottle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous turned making sure to let his hand go free before he turned, once more to give the shorter male a smile. For a moment neither moved, just smiling at one another. Blinking, Professor quickly took the cider bottle and cracked it open with ease. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was happy that, even after losing what had been nearly 60 lbs of muscle mass from his Laserblast days, his strength remained. The best part was, he had to do next to nothing to keep it, all that had happened was trade his bulky muscles for ropey.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The quickly drained their respective bottles, Venomous threw his head back and drew from it in full mouth swallows. Boxman paused for a moment his new bottle pressed to his lips, but when the loud boat horn sounded, he too chugged back the bottle of hard cider, though nowhere near as quick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous shook himself more into the moment as his phone dinged, he laughed reading the message from Fink, but his eyes were drawn back to Boxman dancing. He looked warm, and the pink on his cheeks that had only been a soft tint in the lot, now looked to be much darker. It was mesmerizing to watch the man, so comfortable with his own body to just go out and dance. Boxy was in a tank top, but no suspenders this time, dancing, his muscles hidden behind a gut, he looked so soft. Venomous wanted to bury his face between those pecs, he wanted to embrace and touch every bit of the pale greenish skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Others had started to talk about Boxman's body, but not in the way he appreciated. He had to stop him dancing. He had… some dysmorphia, since his time as… well he danced his way out to the odd little man, hoping to draw their focus on to him, they would rather eat their shoe than say too much about their investor. Hell, maybe this would make the party go on quicker if they wanted to get away from him as well as Boxman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he was thrown to the ground he let himself lay for a moment laughing, he had not expected the last few minutes but in the blur of what he remembered while embarrassed, he had enjoyed it immensely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Billiam finally wanted to move the party along. Let's see what Boxy would do with the chance to blow anything up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rockets? What was one of the quickest reminders that he was highly attracted to Boxman, this was the 3rd time this night he had to adjust his stance. .</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hell, the purple male expected him to attack the Plaza with the rockets. Sure it would have been an area where Billiam would have to pay even more to fix and would have to explain after the Plaza Heros were called.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a smirk he felt his watch buzz as a wave of satisfaction washed over him; he had won a bet with a few of the other villains on the yacht. Boxman made both a point for not only himself but one for Venomous. The stupidly rich aristocrat had said he didn't need to put anymore money into his rockets, that they could destroy </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that he would be worried about killing the Heros within POINT HQ, if he attacked.</span>
  <em>
    <span>
      <br/>
    </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Venomous had only been able to hope that his none-too-subtle manipulation tactic would…<em>point</em> the shorter male in the right direction. The fact that Boxman had done it. Made the decision and just went for it, it was this impulsive nature that he craved in his life. His Boxy did all that just to get them off his back, that was almost sweet. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>The rockets flying back and more emotional abuse from the other villains had a dark knot in the bottom of Venomous' stomach. While he would not go as far as to call if guilt, he knew he would not call it pity. Boxman kept to his colors, kept to his excitement, and his just general enthusiasm, while still being evil as heck. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Venomous jerked awake, his breath was sucked sharply in as he sat up and blinked quickly. The antenna dulled after a light from within pulsed. It had even hummed louder, fading out for a moment then came back a constant level. Venomous knew he needed to get into those wires, and somehow get the advanced tech of his gun and it's hologram display into the system so he and Fink could find their way home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had not dreamed about these shared moments…in months. Soft little slips before everything. Moments that lately he would rather push away. No need to feel so emotionally drained, pining for someone so far away. He leaned his head back enjoying the low hum, it felt like he was back in the old factory. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood rubbing his eyes, and with a stretch looked over the old panels, then down to the sleeping Fink, still curled on the other side of the antenna. He went to relieve himself outside and pulled a few more planks of wood so they could build a makeshift table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a quick movement, he had pulled himself up into the hatch and climbed upwards, using the rocket boots in such a small area could damage too much and he wanted to keep Fink from catching on fire. This line of reasoning led him into picking up the nails and the hammer and a few extra boards. With very little finesse, and a lot of bent nails, Venomous had succeeded in getting a few boards nailed into place down the hole they had blasted. It was…sturdy enough, for now at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He slipped quickly back down inside, handing Fink a ration before sitting with his own. His other hand held a thin metal tube, the outside seemed to be covered in a sheath of… some sort of material he could not place. Was it an organic compound? It seemed to mimic what was around it to hide whatever was within. This was an amazing bit of biotechnology, and he had a feeling it was another clue into who had sent this. If they had only used the box for firewood or just tossed it away, he would have missed this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked over and smiled as Fink tore into her food, she was looking over the same areas he had earlier. With a smile of approval, he pulled back the bio-sleeve and removed a tube which once opened, released a letter written within. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A soft sob came from him, as he covered his mouth with his hand. Holding the paper so he could read it clearly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who knows if you will find this, or do you not need to eat? They asked for us to produce these boxes, once a month…. A box of rations, two weapons and two sets of clothing… Are these for you? Who else would they be for? Yours and Fink's clothes could only be for…I have to wonder… Will your lust to dominate be quelled by a few words… If you have the means to come home and have chosen to stay there... </span>
  <span>I have no idea… why PV, why this happened.. I cannot describe how it feels </span>
  <em>
    <span>When I hear your name… </span>
  </em>
  <span>I don't think the kids understand that... my mind, I can't seem to help but…. </span>
  <em>
    <span>go soaring right back to that place.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You know the spot, downstairs near the bathrooms. The one with the heated pool… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Red lit basement room, </span>
  </em>
  <span>we found that the red made my eye nearly useless, but you didn't seem to mind how clumsy I was. </span>
  <span>Fuck, why am I even writing this, will Eloise find this when they pick up this crate? I tried to hide this well enough... I can only suspect it's you and not some random person… When </span>
  <em>
    <span>was the final time I saw your face? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I took your copy of Villain's Weekly with me down to the plaza the next Monday. I had spent so much time watching as the bodega returned to normal, and I just kept watching, waiting for your car. For you? Everything we tried to do to reach you came back to us, your phone and voicemail were disconnected, your emails were forward to Ernesto. The headline that week? "<em>Oh my </em>Cob! <em>Did you hear who</em> was banished?!" </span>
  <span>They had the gall to asked me, those plaza kids, ask me if it was correct, assumed you where hold up in V... in the factory. All I could say was you where gone, unreachable. I want to say I thought KO looked hurt, but then there was this look in his eyes. He looked at me and said that must be everyone else's best life to have you there. The many outweigh the few…</span>
</p><p><span>I have Ernesto taking  care of the business, like you had asked. Even though you... you can't be dead, We where lucky your will had been found. The president of the Universe said your wealth needed to also be dealt with with or without your exact words.  Everyone had expected me to take over… I couldn't do it, you could </span><em><span>I covered up my ears,</span></em> <span>and have barely talked to anyone in a fortnight </span><em><span>I</span></em> ca<span>n't</span><em><span> bear to hear them laugh.</span></em></p><p>
  <span>I have no idea why I am writing this, none… maybe it was the ciders, maybe it was the small cut out in the wooden plank that looked like I could get a letter to you… where are you? Have you...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Held on...Hold on and on and on… </span>
  </em>
  <span>If this gets to you please, I need to know… so many things. I need you back here to answer… to answer for so many things that I can't put into words. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There's a place where you and I looked in each other's eyes...And swore that we'd be free someday. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I haven't been in that part of the factory… I refuse to look at the door. You promised me so much that last night. You finally told me about your memory loss, your time missing. You promised that you would fix this… </span>
  <em>
    <span>So please tell me why you sacrificed all that you would be?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Where are you lying? Saying you could… would choose me and our life, over your need for power? Look where we are now though. You promised </span>
  <em>
    <span>We hadn't much to wait.</span>
  </em>
  <span> <br/></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> I have very little left from before <strike>you</strike> he kicked me from <strike>my home</strike>…. the factory. </span>
  <span>Only </span>
  <em>
    <span>A photograph…</span>
  </em>
  <span> of before you moved in, is one of the last  </span>
  <em>
    <span>pieces of you I have. </span>
  </em>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span> I have a picture Cosma sent you in a private email…  Vormulax sure loves to drink while she hosts her party. You and I up on stage singing something that she felt fit us, something about loving being Evil. I knew you where only doing it for a bet, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>In that </span>
  </em>
  <span>suit </span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>you cracked one of your rare true smiles, </span>
  <em>
    <span>yet none of us knew</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Well, that's not entirely true. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I have an.. admission, I've known you were Laserblast since I bought the wormhole tech from you a decade ago. Back when you were just starting out, I know we have talked about this… but I never realized </span>
  <em>
    <span>How much pain there was behind your </span>
  </em>
  <span>words when you exposed that bit of your life to me. I had no idea that night you had told me something that you had told no one before. </span>
  <span>I can't help you and I feel useless but please </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hold on…</span>
  </em>
  <span> <br/></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Please remember, </span>
  <em>
    <span>There's a place where you and I looked in each other's eyes and promised we'd be free </span>
  </em>
  <span>someday. I <span class="u">know</span> you lied to me… many times; most small and others I am only assuming where lies. I can't help but feel your promises had been the worst of the lies… </span>
  <em>
    <span>So please tell me why you sacrificed all that you would be. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Promises of coming to bed, promises that... this or that won't be the last… promises that next week we could look into… we could find somewhere to sneak away to on the weekends. Promises that… I was enough for you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You threw away your dreams. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You … smashed every one of mine PV… I need to know … </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why you sacrificed all that </span>
  </em>
  <span>we</span>
  <em>
    <span> would be. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You threw away our dreams.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So much life to live...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So much love to give...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So much life to live...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So much love to give...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Just …. I wish you were at home. So I could ask you… so I could know if you are alive.  And… I hope Fink…. I hope she is with you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gasped a breath around his hand, holding it close to stop his soft muffled cry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Boss- " the small rat girl asked as she turned a tin of fruit in her hands.  A frown curled as she carefully set the metal down to a scampered over, "What did you find? A note? Instructions on how to get home" she bounced with excitement as she stopped next to his arm. She lurched forward on the balls of her feet but only to lean lightly on his knee. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, Fink. It's from Boxman…. He" Venomous ran his hand over his jaw flinching at the new growth,  "He thinks I chose Shadowy over him," His brows were drawn tightly and he rubbed at his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Boss.. that's what Shadowy told all of them… " her voice was soft and measured. Her tiny hands looked even smaller on his dark pants leg. "I knew.. he was lying. I knew you would never leave me." She squeaked and shook her head. Venomous did not reply, he only reached out to hug his minion again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I am so sorry Fink… " he voice was gruff as he hugged the smaller form. It was the second time in two days, more affection than he had shown since they landed. But he felt like she needed it as much as himself. "I had agreed to a deal of power at a cost I had no right accepting." He gave her one more squeeze and let her pull back, turning to go back to the wall she had been inspecting.. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Boss, does Boxman… miss us?" She asked, barely looking over one of her thin shoulders. Gone was the soft pudge of youth, now stood the almost figure of famine. Her voice, a soft squeak, so small and fragile it made his throat tighten. His hand tried to not clench the paper. . </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes Fink, I feel like he misses us both greatly," his voice was full of a fondness and a gentle nature that seemed foreign after the past few months. He gave his minion a soft smile and opened his arms for her once more, "If I remember the song correctly, I could sing the one he included on here… rest a bit more, then we can truly take stock of this room," he offered, the letter had drained him emotionally but she turned away and shook her head he could hear her sniffle and rub at her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You can sing, I am going to open these panels… we have to get home. I miss… " she cut herself off and rubbed at her eyes. "I miss my videos game." She admitted and yet he knew she meant more than her games. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Again the song is nothing I own, the lyrics are in Italics and ONLY Voltaire owns them. I am making no monies on this&lt;#3</p><p> </p><p>https://youtu.be/MsD0jXSk0l4</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Should I keep going ♡ leave a &lt;3 if you are not sure about kudoing♡</p></blockquote></div></div>
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